Press Room: Press Releases

BUFFALO, WV -- Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) today joined Tag Taguchi, president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, and Governor Wise in announcing that Toyota will bring production of engines and transmissions for the popular Lexus RX 300 sport utility vehicle to its Buffalo, West Virginia plant.   Last year, Lexus was the number one selling luxury vehicle in the United States.

Recognizing that this is the first time that Lexus engines and transmissions will be produced outside of Japan, Rockefeller said, “Today’s announcement is a testament to the commitment and skilled craftsmanship of the entire West Virginia team.    In addition to the 1,000 high paying jobs that Toyota will have placed in West Virginia, they have also brought prestige and recognition to our state.  I couldn’t be more proud.”

Rockefeller continued, “Twenty years ago it was a dream of mine that Toyota would come to West Virginia and set up a production plant.  Close to five years ago, that dream came true, and today my expectations have been exceeded. Who could have predicted that Toyota would bring one of the most sophisticated engines in the world to Buffalo.”

This is the third expansion of Toyota Motors Manufacturing West Virginia (TMMWV) since the original plant was announced in 1996.  With this latest expansion, Toyota will invest an additional $50 million ÿ bringing the total investment to $950 million ÿ for equipment and tooling to accommodate Lexus V6 engine and automatic transmission production, as well as to expand capacity of the four-cylinder line at the Buffalo plant by 40,000 engines annually. The four-cylinder line will add production for Toyota’s new Matrix, just introduced at the Detroit auto show, and for the GM Vibe, to be produced at New United Motor Manufacturing.  Combined four-cylinder and V6 engine capacity will grow to 540,000.

Toyota motors in Buffalo has steadily increased production since building its first four cylinder engine in December 1998.  In 2000, the plant produced 192,069 four-cylinder and 98,140 V6 engines.  Production of automatic transmissions begins later this year.  In 2003, TMMWV will produce engines for five North American-built vehicles.  They are: Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, RX 300 and Vibe.

Toyota is the world’s third largest automobile manufacturer.  Current employment at the Buffalo plant is 725, and with today’s announcement, employment will climb to 1,000 by 2003.